Eddard

"Are you ready for this tourney Ned? It might be the biggest one ever, I can hardly bloody wait to crack some skulls! Have some fun will you!" exclaimed Robert as they approached the campground by the massive pile of stone that Harren the Black had beggared the Riverlands to build.

"You know I am not competing Robert, why do you continue to ask? As I have said before, tourneys are a waste of time, the only worthwhile event is the melee and only because it serves as a substitute for actually battle. You know as well as I that it will be a poor comparison to the encounters we had with the mountain clansmen. I only came because Benjen wrote that all my siblings were coming. Still it is always entertaining to see you get knocked off your horse so no doubt I will have at least some fun" he replied with a slight smile.

"Ha-HA good one Ned, well said, right I'm off to find the stormlords then. I'll see you tonight at the feast."

As Robert rode off and he turned his horse to where he had seen the northern banners, he thought about the years spent in the Vale, the rocky start with the young boy-Lord, culminating in an all-out brawl during dinner one night and the bonding over the shared punishment that had formed a lasting bond with the intemperate young Lord Paramount.

Jon Arryn was a different horse though as they say, during his time as his ward the man had attempted a very subtle form of conditioning, aimed at making him take on a number of andal beliefs, emphasizing honor, knightly chivalry and instilling the belief that he should look to Jon before all others. It was very insidious and while he had easily ignored the attempts he could see how the first men culture had been subsumed in previous cases. Though in the interests of why he was in the Vale he allowed the attempt to appear successful, which amusingly resulted in a reputation of an honorable quiet young man who took his foster house words too seriously.

Still he had achieved what he had set out to accomplish in the Vale, the creation or continuation of long term beneficial friendships with two Lords Paramount. If only his personal goals had worked out so well, though he had now mastered the style of blade-work favored here, with only Robert and his warhammer proving to be any challenge to him now while he was not enhancing himself, though considerable less so if he was. It was the enhancing that was the problem, he had spent years meditating on his new power, controlling his senses and while he had some revelations, they were minor ones, he knew there was much more he had yet to uncover. Most important of these revelations was the wolfsblood, that his father had always said that Brandon and Lyanna had too much of, was basically using the energy to enhance your physical capabilities and after years of practice and mediation he had successfully managed to control the minor but not insignificant enhancement of speed and strength but that was all. His attempts at warging had failed, without a heart tree he could not even attempt to see as a greenseer and, although he may have slightly chilled the air around him once as it was winter it was impossible to tell or thus far replicate, all of his attempts to find analogies of even basic chakra usage had failed. He was still learning the old tongue runes in the hope it would prove to be similar to fuinjustsu, as it appeared to be in the history of Starks as well as the Royces but he has had no success so far.

He was shocked out of his thoughts, and nearly dragged out of his saddle, by a flying hug from his sister, who had taken a running jump and launched herself at him.

"NED! Oh Ned it is so good to see you again, I have missed you so much!" she cried out.

"Alright Lya let poor Neddy get off his horse before you strangle him, will you?" called out a laughing Brandon, "The rest of us would like to greet him as well you know."

He dismounted and hugged a grinning Benjen, while Lyanna chased Brandon around them, the laughter and smiles made him feel at home again.

At the opening feast for the tourney that night Lyanna arrived with an bandaged young man, introducing him as Lord Howland Reed of the Neck. She explained that she had seen three squires confront him, one strike him down from behind and then the others join in beating him when he is on the ground, then that she chased them off, beating them with a practice blank. Brandon grunted out a garbled greeting then turned away his attention elsewhere before heading over to drink with our bannermen.

"You are welcome to sit with us Lord Reed," he said with a glance at Brandon. "Did you come to take part in the tourney?"

"No, I am here to visit the Isle of Faces," Howland quietly replied, "I did not even know about it until I arrived today, please call me Howland."

"So you have nowhere to stay? Well you will stay with us then, it is the least we can do for one of our bannermen."

"No, no I couldn't possibly-"

"Oh nonsense, Ned is absolutely right Howland you will stay with us, sit next to Ned," Lyanna interupted.

"Did you see who the men were?" asked Benjen "If you know, I will get you some armour so you can avenge yourself in the lists tomorrow?"

"I saw their banners, I'll point them out when I see them," said Lyanna

Just then quiet was called for and man of the Night's Watch came forward calling for volunteers to serve on the wall, he spoke well and convincingly but judging by the snickers and quiet insults most of the crowd were not impressed, though Benjen certainly seemed taken with his words.

As the night continued on Robert got into a drinking competition with Ser Richard Lonmouth, an unimpressed Lyanna pointed out the three Knights the squires belonged to, a Frey, Haigh and Blount, then the crown prince Rhaegar Targaryen got up to play a song on his harp. It was a haunting, melancholic tune that had many of the ladies present in tears. including Lyanna. Benjen, acting the boy of twelve he was, saw this and commented

"Oho is our fierce she-wolf crying over a song? I never thought to see the day!" Lyanna, annoyed, responded by pouring her wine over his head drawing the attention of all. Benjen left with a red-faced glare at her and after a moment of silence the gathered nobles resumed their celebrations.

"Lyanna, that was poorly done, our small group heard what he said but no one else did, you however embarrassed him in front of every one. You will offer him a public apology if he returns." Eddard remonstrated with her, though she turned to face away from him with a scoff.

Just then the Kingsguard entered the tent and called for everyone to kneel before the king. King Aerys entered and immediately there was a quiet rush of comments over his appearance. His fingernails were long yellow claws, his beard matted and his silver-gold hair hung in wild tangles to his waist. It was a most hideous sight, he could not believe that a leader would appear in public like that. The king called forth Ser Jaime Lannister, a tall golden haired youth came forward.

"I have heard you a most talent knight and that you desire a place on my Kingsguard?"

"It is so, Your Grace"

"Well then, kneel and the Lord Commander will take your oath," Ser Jaime knelt before Ser Gerold Hightower and the remainder of the kingsguard stood around him, forming a collar around his neck with their swords. Though he did not falter as he swore the oaths and then stood to ringing applause. The King and the Kingsguard then left, and the dancing began.

He was sitting to the side with Howland quietly talking about the Neck and its crannogmen when Brandon came over

"Aren't you going ask a lady to dance Ned? You are only young once, you know." he was asked and internally amused thought, that'd where you're wrong Bran. Though he replied

"No I was not planning on it brother,"

"Oh too shy are you? Well put your worries aside, I'll sort you out Ned, I saw who you were looking at." with that Brandon quickly strode over to where Princess Elia, Rheagar's pregnant wife was sitting with her handmaiden Ashara Dayne. After a short conversation he returned with her by his side and introduced us

"Ashara this is my brother Eddard, Neds, Ashara Dayne,"

"I heard you wanted a dance my lord, shall we?" she asked with a smile.

He took her hand and lead her onto the floor, " Thank you for this, my lady,"

"Well I had to see who it was that was to shy to ask me himself, such a unaccustomed proposal had to be investigated."

"I hope you are not offended, I did not ask my brother to do so. Though I am hardly displeased with your answer."

"No I'm not, your brother was not the only one who caught a few looks in my direction."

"Ah well I will not deny your beauty is indeed striking my lady and I did cast a few gazes your way, though if I am honest I was studying your companion, the princess. I have heard the rumours that she is frail and weak, I wished to judge for myself."

"Is that so?" she questioned with an edge to her tone "And what did you determine?"

"Well I admit I can see why lesser people would think what they say, she does not radiate strength, however I can tell she is not weak, just that she has a different type of strength."

"You really are a unusual man Lord Eddard, I would like see you again"

The dance had ended and with it the feast as well.

The tourney was underway, Robert and Brandon competed in the melee as well as in the jousting later on, though they did not win. On the second day of the tournament a mystery knight in mismatched armour with a sigil of a laughing tree, rode out into the lists and challenged three familiar knights. The knight rode well and defeated all three, when asked who they should send their ransom too the knight replied with a booming voice that they should teach their squires honor and that would satisfy the debt. The king called for the knight to reveal their identity however instead they rode off quickly, the king then ordered the prince to chase down and unmask the traitorous knight who quickly rode off in pursuit.

Eddard quickly hurried back to tent check on a suspiciously absent Lyanna, however she was not there so he waited. She arrived shortly after flushed and sweaty but with a gleam of triumph in her eyes. She did not see him so he spoke

"Did the prince catch you?"

She screamed in fright before replying "What? What are you saying Ned, why would the prince be chasing me?"

"You cannot fool me Lyanna, I know it was you under that helmet out there, now normally I have no problem with you taking up arms but doing so today was very foolish, if you had been unmasked who knows what the king would have done, it would have been devastating for our family. So I ask you again, were you caught?"

"Yes but the prince just took my shield and told me to go, that he would take care of it."

"Well judging by the lack of commotion he has kept his word, so we have avoided consequences for now, still you know my policy do you not Lyanna?"

"Yes brother, I may ride, train with weapons and follow all the manly pursuits I want as long as I am not caught."

"Yes now as for your punishment for the remainder if this tourney you will not leave my side and you will act as a proper southern lady. And yes I know you hate that, that is why it is a punishment. Now get ready so we may return and hope our absence is not remarked upon."

The rest of the tourney went by without incident until the last day, Prince Rhaegar won the joust and when it came time to crown the queen of love and beauty, chose to spurn his wife delivering the crown of blue winter roses into the lap of Lyanna. As the prince rode away there was a large outcry both Brandon and Robert were furious, Eddard had to quickly restrain Brandon from doing anything foolish and fortunately Robert was caught it the crowd, unable to act.

That night he talked to his sister while the others were asleep, she was furious but refused to entertain talk of what happened today, instead attempted to shift the topic to Robert and his actions.

"He is a pig I can't believe father betrothed me to him, all he cares about is fighting and drinking, he barely spoke to me! When he did it was to say I am a beautiful flower and he will keep me safe, I do not want someone to treat me as if I'm am made of glass, and I heard he has fathered a bastard already!"

"Yes I know he has not been the most attentive but all the blame cannot be laid on him, as you were hardly welcoming in your attitude you are equally at fault. As for the fighting, Robert is a man who came into his title young, who is almost completely unknown by his banners as he has been raised, just as I have, far away from them by a man not of their realm. This is the first major gathering of his bannerman since he has neared the age where he can take his seat as Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, he needed do what he can to win them to his side, prove that he will be a good lord otherwise they will think him weak and constantly challenge him. The men of the Stormlands are very martial and fierce people, it takes a strong leader to keep them in line so Robert needed to fight and drink with them to prove he is worthy and show they have his attention. Though I admit I doubt that he really thought about it in such terms. As for fathering a bastard, he was not married or even betrothed at the time so as long as he provides a good life for the girl what does it matter? I'll thank you to remember the man who gave you that crown actually has a pregnant wife, not to mention a daughter."

She stormed off to her bedding and as he went to sleep he hoped she would think about what he had said.

The next day he and Robert headed back to the Eryie to spend what short amount of time left with their foster father before Brandon's wedding, from which they would return to their respective homes and lives. Time passed and all was well until, as the time neared for them to leave for the wedding, a raven came bearing dark words from his father. Lyanna had been abducted by Prince Rhaegar and Brandon who had been on his way to Riverrun, the home of his bride-to-be, had heard the story and rushed to Kings landing with his companions Elbert Arryn, Jeoffory Mallister, Kyle Royce and his squire Ethan Glover, demand that Rhaegar return his sister. The King imprisoned him and called Lord Rickard to Kings landing to account for his heirs actions. His father ordered him to stay in the Vale and that he would take care of this matter.

Afterwards he wished he had disobeyed his when he heard the story of what happened, he took no action and no word came until Jon received a letter from the King stating that Rickard and Brandon Stark were traitors who had been executed and demanding both his head as well as Roberts. Jon refused and called his banners in response, urging them to do the same. They sent letters to their brothers with instructions to call the banners and agreed on a plan. Jon and Robert would take the Vale banners that heeded the call to take Gulltown, whose lords had refused Jon's orders, where Robert would seek passage to the Stormlands and rally his banners. He was to travel in the opposite direction to the fingers, from there find a vessel and travel to White Harbour, then to Winterfell. After securing their homes and rally their banners they were then to join forces against the King.

A/N Phew tough chapter, though I doubt they'll get easier. Anyway I made some small edits to the previous chapter to hopefully make some things more clear. Let me know what you think, how the dialogue play, next chapter battles! sigh